ENGLISH
REFERENCE

impartial

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˌɪmˈpɑɹʃəɫ// UK //ɪmpˈɑːʃəl// im·par·tial

adj. not supporting one person or group more than another. You use this to describe someone who is fair and does not take sides.

adj. treating all rivals or disputants equally; unbiased and neutral. Often used to describe judges, journalists, or formal processes.


SIMPLE

A judge must remain impartial during a trial.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee hired an impartial consultant to review the project and ensure no personal interests influenced the final decision.

COMPLEX

Maintaining an impartial stance is essential for investigative journalists, as even a slight perception of bias can undermine the credibility of their entire report.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Middle French impartial. See im- + partial.

Usage

Typically follows a linking verb like 'be', 'remain', or 'stay'; often takes the preposition 'towards'.

Pitfall

an unpartial observeran impartial observerLearners often use the prefix 'un-' because it is a common way to negate adjectives, but 'impartial' is the correct form.

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